It's Been Real, It's Been Fun...

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...and it has most definitely been real fun! I'm officially back home from school for the next four months. Sophomore year was definitely the best one yet! My roommate and I spent our last night together reminiscing about the year and how great it really was. We expanded our friend group and added some guys to it--an accomplishment that we are probably the most excited about. We are already excited to get back for junior and get the fun started with everyone again! We have already discussed the first week back and having a couple of dinners and outings before classes start.

But that is all four months away. I have this summer to look forward to; and I am definitely looking forward to it! Since I have been home I have been unpacking (still not done!) and applying for jobs. Hopefully I can get some work soon because boy do I need to start saving for junior year! Having apartment style living and a minimal meal plans means plenty of grocery shopping. I do not really have any huge plans for the summer, but I kind of like that. It will be nice, relaxing and laidback. Before we left, my roommate and I agreed that we were going to take this summer to work on ourselves. For me that means I'm really going to focus on being healthy--back to morning runs and cooking some great food! I also really want to do a lot of reading. I have downloaded some new books to my Kindle and am very excited about sitting on the deck and spending my afternoon reading through them.

While I am getting antsy for junior year (when is it appropriate to start a countdown?) I am also anticipating a great summer spent the way that I want to spend it!

<3 Ashley

How excited are you for the summer? Do you have any plans?

I'm Baaaack

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Back to school it is. Words can not describe how relieved I was to get off of the bus in Oakland last night. That four hour ride felt so much longer--I need someone to talk to on these rides to make them go faster! It felt great to come back and see everyone again. I was surprised at how much I really missed it here. But now I'm back which means classes start up again! I haven't even stepped into a classroom yet and I already feel stressed and sad. New Year's resolution: calm the eff down!

Let's try to have a great week!
<3 Ashley

What does this week have in store for you?

It's December

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Words cannot describe how happy I am to see December again! I love the holiday season so much. Thanksgiving was wonderful; it was great to see family and some friends over the break and of course the dinner wasn't half bad either! Then I went out for Black Friday at midnight WITHOUT a pre-shopping nap and didn't physically harm someone like I thought I would. Instead I did a majority of my Christmas shopping. I got gifts for my brother, one of my good friends and the person on my floor that I picked for Secret Santa (and that gift's a good one!)

Now I'm back to school and ready to buckle down for finals week before I get to go home again in two weeks. Of course with the long break comes work. I cannot say I'm looking forward to that little bit, but you gotta do what you gotta do. But before I even start thinking about the highs and lows of Christmas...I need to get through finals!

<3 Ashley

How was your Thanksgiving? What are you looking forward to in December?

Break Me Off A Piece of Sanity

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I'm taking a break. No! Not from blogging! Why would I stop doing something that I consider so therapeutic for me? I mean from school (and people.) Thanksgiving break is in a week and I am anticipating it more than I think I ever will. Last year, I don't think I was too desperate to go home for break; this is probably due to the fact that I was getting acclimated to college life and living alone and actually enjoying it. This year is different. The semester has definitely been the most stressful and difficult academically that I have experienced so far. It has also been rather heavy in the social realm as well.

My roommate and I have been discussing this a lot lately...living in a co-ed dorm is certainly different. We've gotten close with these guys. We've seen ladies come and go over these past three months. We've had to listen to more problems and feelings than we though we'd ever hear from guys. We need a break from these people. Not that I don't appreciate how comfortable they are with me to come to me with their problems, but let me tell you...they make me feel a little masculine sometimes! There's also plenty of actual females that I need to take some time off from as well.

8 days and counting!

<3 Ashley

What do you need a break from?

The Great Gatsby

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As I am sitting here texting a close friend about summer plans, another fantastic advertisement for the new Great Gatsby film (May 10) comes on the television. After a few excited texts we are committing to making this one of our mandatory date nights.

I can't even express my excitement over the release of this film. The book has been a favorite of mine for quite sometime (before it was required reading in 11th grade!) That made assigned reading even easier! That being said, I am also very excited to see Iron Man 3 and Man of Steel--what can I say...I like my superheroes. :)

How stoked are you to see this film? Have you read the book? Are there any other films you are excited to see this summer?

<3 Ashley

Spring Break Ideas

So as I was looking through my desk calendar, an exciting realization hit me: Spring Break starts next Friday! Next Friday at 2 PM my bus will be rolling away from Pittsburgh to take me home for the week. I will admit that my Spring Break will be spent at home catching up with family and friends that I have missed since I came back. Let's be honest, I have three more Spring Breaks to do something awesome. I know that many of you will be embarking on your adventures at the end of this week actually. So I decided to find a few Spring Break ideas ranging in price.

1. The Beach!

Unfortunately for those of us here in the north, that requires a long drive down south because the beaches are nowhere near warm here at this point. Florida is a popular destination for college Spring Breakers as are certain areas of Mexico. At the same time, if you are looking to go somewhere less crowded and not as popular, the Outer Banks are also a lovely beach destination. I know some of my friends are actually venturing to the Bahamas for break (jealous!)

2. Road Trip!

One thing I have always wanted to do is take a road trip with just a couple of friends. Ideally my road trip would be cross country; this would probably be better suited for summer. But there is still a lot of asphalt you can cover in one week! So grab a few friends, pack the trunk, grab a map and discover some new locations (you should probably establish a budget in that process as well!)

3. Skiing!

While it doesn't exactly sound like a spring activity, it's not exactly spring yet, is it? Make some reservations at a ski resort for the week or just a few days. There are also places where you can go for the day to ski, snowboard, or go tubing (Ski Roundtop for those of you in South Central PA)

4. Volunteer Trips!

Some people also opt for the alternative break: volunteer trips! A lot of colleges and universities have organized volunteer opportunities that you can partake in during spring break. While these are fairly expensive (ours are about $300) they offer you the opportunity to reach out and help others for the week.

5. Make Discoveries at Home!

Okay, in exploring places you haven't ventured to close to home you probably won't encounter any caves or awesome cliffs like these, but how awesome is this picture? This break, my friends and I will be mapping out something cool things to do and interesting places to eat that we haven't been to around home. We are going to become one with our surroundings! Find some interesting hole-in-the-wall café or restaurant that you haven't noticed before or go for a hike! (We live in a valley in the Appalachian Mountains so we can do this!)

These are just a few ideas how you can spend your week away from classes during break. There are definitely other options out there! For those of you getting ready to go on break after this week of classes, have fun and be safe!

<3 Ashley

How do you plan on spending your spring break?